FOXBORO, Mass. — It was just like old times Sunday night at Gillette Stadium.
The New England Patriots’ offense finally found life against the undefeated Cincinnati Bengals, coasting to a much-needed, 43-17 victory.
The scoreboard total was reminiscent of the video-game numbers New England put up with regularity in seasons past, and so was the means by which it created said total.
Tight ends powered the Patriots’ passing game — a statement that hasn’t often been uttered since the breakup of the Rob Gronkowski-Aaron Hernandez tandem before last season. Gronkowski led all receivers with six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown, and new guy Tim Wright — the Patriots’ return in the Logan Mankins trade — broke out with five grabs for 85 yards and a score.
Wright caught just four balls for 35 yards in the Patriots’ first four games combined, and his touchdown catch Sunday, which put New England up 14-0 in the first quarter, was his first of the season.
“It felt good,” the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer said after the game. “The offensive line protected, Tom (Brady) threw great balls — went through his reads — and the wide receivers ran great routes. He delivered it, and we played a complementary game.”
It was the first time a tight end has led the Patriots in receiving yards since Gronkowski was lost for the season last December. The last time New England’s top two pass-catchers in a given game both were tight ends? You’d have to go back to Dec. 18, 2011, when Hernandez and Gronkowski ran wild in a win over the Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos.
Gronkowski’s totals could have been even higher Sunday night. He was targeted 11 times and had a few drops, some of which were products of poor throws by Brady.
“Yeah, they all played great,” Brady said. “Certainly Gronk made some great catches and runs, and I wish I’d have gotten the ball to him a few more times in positions where he could have done something with it. But he’s a great player, getting him the ball — and getting Tim involved. (Michael Hoomanawanui) does a great job in his role. All those guys played their butts off.”
There isn’t a large enough sample size yet to determine if Wright — who bears the unfortunate distinction of wearing Hernandez’s No. 81 — can be a consistent contributor, but Sunday’s performance offered hope that a two-tight end offense still can produce results for the Patriots.
And really, with the current state of New England’s wide receiver corps, it has to.
Photo via Stew Milne/USA TODAY Sports Images
